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2 thoughts on “Chinese Wine Buyers Visit Lodi”

Then why is the Lodi chamber of commerce taking so many trips to China when their delegates are coming here? Is Mr. Patrick outsourcing Lodi area jobs and business to China or what? It’s great to see the Chinese interested in Lodi wines, but the Lodi chamber should be working on jobs and businesses here, not in China?

Hi Doug, Thanks for your interest in this article. The issue of creating local jobs is my life’s passion. I am a twenty year law enforcement veteran who grew up on a Lodi vineyard. These two seemingly unrelated experiences have dramatically altered the way I view the world. I know first hand what happens when a local economy struggles to support essential services. I also know nothing can create more jobs for our region than the increased exportation of value added agriculture, with wine being a perfect example. This is my calling, my passion, my life. It is why I often work upwards to 16 hours a day, and still wake up motivated to do more.

I have personally traveled to China many times. Since leaving law enforcement, my primary goal has always been and will remain for as long as I am able to create more local jobs for our region, with my definition of “our region” growing as my own personal network of friends expands. One of the primary reasons Lodi receives as many inbound delegations as they have is because Lodi makes the effort to go abroad. These trips to China have nothing to do with outsourcing US jobs. They are about trying to improve the unsustainable trade imbalance we have with China. I have grown to love both countries very much, and have many dear friendships that span the globe. That being said, I can assure you that when I am cut, my blood runs red, white and blue.